1. Field of the invention
This invention relates generally to devices for generating power from horizontal motion and, more particularly, to an apparatus for generating power from the horizontal motion of incoming and outgoing ocean shore waves.
2. Technical background
Horizontal motion wave power generators for producing electricity from ocean shore waves are known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,094 discloses a stationary wave generator that operates by an incoming shore wave moving a piston up and down in a cylinder. The piston engages a drive through a rack and pinion gear system which then engages a unidirectional rotary power shaft. The rack and pinion arrangement is subject to excessive wear. The piston and cylinder need constant maintenance and there needs to be a draining regulation mechanism. The device is useful only for incoming shore waves. Paddle wheel structures are well-known and are particularly useful for capturing the energy of water moving in one direction. As such, they are not suited to capture both the inflow and outflow energy of ocean shore waves. U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,644 discloses a surf driven electrical apparatus which has a shaft on a buoyant body with blades or paddles attached to the shaft. The paddles intercept an incoming ocean wave at a point where the surf breaks and receive the energy produced from the breaking wave, thereby rotating the shaft to operate an electric generator. This device captures the energy only from the incoming motion of the ocean surf.
What is needed, but which has never been available, is a paddle wheel system wherein both the incoming flow and the outgoing flow of the ocean shore waves are converted to unidirectional motion which can drive an electric generator.